bluing steel with a torch

I learned something slightly different than what you are teaching and that is I am willing to pay people like you to do this kind of stuff for me. I use a pickling paste. The tank of distilled water you heat with a camp stove, the kitchen stove (Im not responsible for marital discord and disruptions of conjugal relations) or some other much larger heat source to a boil. highfour, case hardening is a bit different from what you describe.. Usually, the steel needs some time in a medium that will allow carbon to penetrate the surface, and we are talking 15 minutes to several hours. Nowadays, even mild steel does have a certain amount of carbon in the alloy, which can explain your observations, if you google "super quench," you should find a waterbased quench that is rumoured to do the same, but in my humble opinion, water can do just that as well. Ok you gotta help me out herewhen I was studying mechanical engineering a good few years back a project I done involved using a compression fit of 1/4" thick plate steel into 1" thick steel rod, both mild steel. 2. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. I wouldn't recommend either. 5. Above you can see some example pictures of the colour shades that can be achieved with this techniques.Have fun doing it! . I like using acetone to strip the heavy oil on guns, because it lightens up the oils and makes them easier to strip with a water-based cleaner. Heating up a tank on the kitchen stove. You work on nice guns! After that, slowly and steadily stir the solution in the tank to dissolve the salt. Then you have to heat the metal. Also Dont get the 275-300F bath on you. Depending on the manufacturers manual, youll have to prepare roughly 6 to 8 tanks to perform the bluing effectively and efficiently. on Introduction, Hello my name is Joe and Im doing a project where Im trying to achieve the same outcome. Soft, low-carbon steel was used, but strong materials were needed for the receivers of firearms. WebThe gun bluing process Start with 1 gallon of water and add it to a deep fryer that has been thoroughly cleaned. The thickness of the oxide is a function of how hot you heat the steel (The color is due to interference of light reflecting from the surface of the oxide coating, and light reflecting from the oxide-steel interface). However, the chemicals from the bluing process can accomplish uneven staining on aluminium and polymer parts. I guess Ill have to just be happy drying toilet paper. Thanks, 8 years ago Hopefully these concepts suggest caution and diligence for what you are doing. Add in the 250F+ temperatures of the salts when they hit your skin, and youre both burned thermally and chemically in seconds. WebBluing is a passivation process in which steel is partially protected against rust using a black oxide coating. You are a fantastic resource for all of us here. Also, the results you indicate are typical of still having some oil on the gun. All About Bluing Steel Stainless Steel Necessary Gears and Tools Procedure Step 1: Ready the bluing tank Step 2: Process the components of the gun Step 3: Suspend The "hot" process is an alkali salt solution using potassium nitrite or sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide, referred to as "traditional caustic black", that is typically done at an elevated temperature, 135 to 155C (275 to 311F). ", steel". So you will get a shinier finish. Metal parts that look black or blue-black are usually blued (rather than painted). Woodworkers doing furniture finishing will use 000 and 0000 wool, and they hate oil on their wool for rubbing down oil finishes. Drift the sights back in from the right side of the barrel. The ideal setup is a pair of long sleeve gloves along with splash goggles and a face mask. COPYRIGHT 2021, THETRUTHABOUTGUNS.COM. Rust bluing was developed between hot and cold bluing processes, and was originally used by gunsmiths in the 19th century to blue firearms prior to the development of hot bluing processes. You should put the brass drift (which you can make out of a piece of brass rod about 1/4 in diameter) on the sight base, and then start tapping the end of the drift with a small hammer. The parts can often be put together with little or no forces need and friction lock together and the one parts shrinks and the other part expands. The salts here will be slightly less corrosive (ie, just the pure KNO3, no lye), but at 600F, you have a big physical risk right in front of you. Black oxide provides minimal protection against corrosion, unless also treated with a water-displacing oil to reduce wetting and galvanic action. To harden steel, start by heating the metal directly with a blow torch until it turns a cherry red color. It does provide good rust resistance, which is improved with oil. How to Blue Bluing Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil Method. on Step 1. Fe3O4 requires chemicals and/or heat to push the iron to full oxidation. Note that it has to be a different tank from the one you used for Step 2. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. It was left in a flannel gun case in the back of a moist closet for 25+ years. Stainless steel can only tolerate hot bluing and a limited amount of chemicals. Just remove the blue/rust, degrease, dry, then blue/card/boil-out/oil/drain. of the steel than do not even try this on something that is anything other than artistic in nature! WebStep 1: Preparing Your Materials You will need: -2x containers (one of them preferably being metal for the oil) -oil -unleaded petrol/Acetone/Terpentine/Rubbing alcohol or any good The robot gives the steel valve seat a quick blast with liquid nitrogen and drops the seat right in place. kitty litter (I would recommend the unused variety). If there is any finish left on the metal, it will interfere with the bluing pr If I remember right they then heated them up a bit and applied fish oil orignal and I think latter switching to linseed oil to protect the finish and give it that wet look. Bluing is often a hobbyist endeavor, and there are many methods of bluing, and continuing debates about the relative efficacy of each method. RF: Expect a write-up from me on Rust blueing and parkerizing in the next couple of weeks. Its easy enough to color metal with a torch, but it has always been a hit-or-miss process for me, and when it was a big hit, I was rarely able to re-create how it got that way. it would appear these sights are drifted into dovetails. Apply heat to your object and heat up gently and equally. The name of the process actually comes from the blue-black appearance of the black iron oxide. Keep heating the steel until you notice a blue color form on the metal. When everything is set up, put on your protective gear and then get down to business. The blueing salt bath will be at about 286 to 292F, and as it is bubbling away, it is losing water, and the boiling point of the solution keeps climbing. A Garden Gun Cultivates a Newfound Fascination, AZ Judge Dan Slayton Refuses to Reduce $2m Bail in Flagstaff Campus Self Defense Case, State Judge Issues Order Blocking Enforcement of Illinois Firearms Ban Act Statewide, Protecting and Serving: Springfield, IL Police Seized Homeowners Gun After Investigating Her Report of a Prowler UPDATED, Chicagos Failed Mayor Lori Lightfoot Loses in Reelection EffortBadly, http://www.lowes.com/pd_188198-316-HG-66420_0__?productId=4764059, http://cdn.spectrumbrands.com/~/media/Spectracide/Files/MSDS/SpectracideStumpRemoverGranulesSDSApr15.ashx. Mea culpa. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 914,567 times. I just had my first experience rust browning a barrel. ", the wrong quality steel. I believe the change of color is due to a growing thickness of an oxide layer. In place of using a hot bath (although at a lower temperature) chemically induced method, it is possible through controlling the temperature to heat steel precisely such as to cause the formation of black oxide selectively over the red oxide. High temperatures and dangerous chemicals mean that a moment of carelessness can make you pay a heavy price. A non-linear resistance property of the blued steel of razor blades, foreshadowing the same property later discovered in semiconductor diode junctions, along with the ready availability of blued steel razor blades, led to the use of razor blades as a detector in crystal set AM radios that were built by servicemen (as foxhole radios) or by prisoners of war during World War II.[8]. Also buffing wheels pre blue. Mea maxima culpa - and I left my comment up rather than delete the thread (for now) just so I could reply and admit the My Dumb, rather than skulk away cleanly >;-), Question Heat the area with a torch until it stops sweating. Larger flames produce less heat while smaller flames produce a higher heat. for 6-8 hours. Thank you so much for sharing such a great article. - Ballachy", "Bluing of Steel by Heat Treatment: Why and How it Happens? Pour in The blue appearance of the oxide film is also used as an indication of temperature when tempering carbon steel after hardening, indicating a state of temper suitable for springs. 2 years ago Answer Vegetable oil has a higher boiling point, so the hot steel will take longer to cool and reduce the chance of it cracking. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. WD-40, as mentioned earlier, is a water-displacing oil compound not a penetrating lube, and for preventing rust, WD-40 actually works pretty well, but it doesnt last like cosmoline or waxy oils used for long-term rust prevention. I can keep a Krylon can always handy for touch-ups. The color is not oxides, when steel is heated at relatively low heats (300-600 degrees Fahrenheit) it changes colors from light yellow to a deep blue, after 600 it turns back to a steel color. 35% Potassium nitrate (aka saltpeter), http://castboolits.gunloads.com/archive/index.php/t-36054.html. This signifies that the steel is tempered. But since this was my first project, with an inexpensive kit as a learning tool, and as I intend to do this again with a much more expensive kit, my trials and errors and your voice of experience will be very useful the next time around. For the color change to be uniform you have to remove the grease, oil, paint etc or it looks blotchy. this article statement The torch comes in when you first apply the Express Blue. JUST DONT. on Introduction. 3 years ago. We strongly advise that you only push through with this process if you are absolutely confident that you are able to perform the necessary precautions. This process was repeated until the desired depth of color was achieved or the metal simply did not color further. gas coverage is another big one. ", informative and did not use technical language and concepts that would have left me floundering and none the wiser. Thoroughly degrease the area to be reblued with acetone. I have to finish my M76 and Galil first and buy the materials. Glad that there are folks like you around. Historically, razor blades were often blued steel. Turn the heat on and give a good regular stirring until it gets very hot and starts to steam. ", Bluing is most commonly used by gun manufacturers, gunsmiths, and gun owners to improve the cosmetic appearance of and provide a measure of corrosion resistance to their firearms. Bear in mind not to touch the walls of your container as you don't want to disturb the process of what's happening! Just dont. You should note that the blue layer is rather delicate so dont treat it roughly. 4. Once you get the colour you want, go outside to your oil container and fully quench your object into the oil!Note: I know a plastic container is . To heat this, I use a Coleman camp stove and a 15# jug of LPG gas. When the liquid stops bubbling, remove the metal from the container and wipe off any excess liquid. In this case cooking oil, rather than gun oil, acts to displace water and prevent rust. Theres nothing I see as super-dangerous about blueing other than trying to do hot salt blueing without all the correct safety equipment and precautions. This answer was tested with a utility knife blade and it drilled through with ease. They should send you a stipend for your time. It would be a good idea to get some gloves on. Oh mas oui.Express blueing, slow rust blueing, hot salt blueing, nitre blueing, carbona blueing all are better than cold blueing. Do this outside, so you can do this next part: Just whip the steel wool at arms length to extract the excess acetone. Also remember, by adjusting the heat you can get whatever color you want. $3.59. You have a degreased gun, and now you need to get the metal hot enough that the reaction will oxidize the steel as much as possible. Safety is the number one priority so protect your body as much as possible. It, too, must be oiled to provide any significant rust resistance. Itll take perhaps 20 minutes to really dry down. Shooting Mystery is an independent website that provides content for informational purposes only. Do all the prep you would for express or rust blueing, especially degreasing. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Here is a simple way to get a blued finish on steel. I don't understand why you are submerging it in oil? | Alpha Detroit", "NRA Family | Gun Manufacturing: Browning vs. Bluing", http://mypeculiarnature.blogspot.com/2014/08/quick-rust-bluing-back-in-black.html, "Radio Kits and Designs for Old and New Styles", "Coating, Oxide, Black, for Ferrous Metals (MIL-DTL-13924D)", "Phosphate and black oxide coating of ferrous metals (MIL-HDBK-205A)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bluing_(steel)&oldid=1142351288, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles that may contain original research from October 2020, All articles that may contain original research, Articles needing additional references from October 2020, All articles needing additional references, Articles lacking in-text citations from September 2014, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Articles with dead external links from July 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 22:58. Its essential to keep stirring the tank to prevent the forming of hot and cold areas. "https://theshootingmystery.tumblr.com/", Higher carbon contents will take longer to heat. % of people told us that this article helped them. This is not advisable. Pull it out of the tank and place on a drain rack. We will verify and confirm your receipt within 3 working days from the date you upload it. Safety notes: Dont use an aluminum pan. Think big scars. The content is not meant to be a replacement for professional service advice. It is one smoooooth profile, from one end to the other. Any gun. Last Updated: May 13, 2022 Why do you bother with all this crap?. Craig, torch bluing is a real thing that has been use a lot in the custom gun world, mostly for screw heads but even for complete muzzle loader creations ( the vendor will be quite proud of his work it seems as cost increases considerably to a finished item). Remove the bolt & trigger group this might require a pin punch on some guns to pull the trigger group.From what little I can see in the picture here . You can blue heat-treated parts with no ill effects. A couple bottles of aged bourbon minimum. You can then use a soft brush to gently remove all the residue of the cleaning solution on the components. (You say the rod was heated, but it couldn't have been, as it was on the inside. The part that is to race the other is heated normally up to about 220 especially if it is an aluminum casting like a cylinder head. Thank you, DG! pliers, mole grips, -An old metal container (I know, a plastic container is pictured but always use a metal one) filled high enough with oil to completely submerge your steel object would be ideal. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Your tanks better be tight, your stands for the tanks better be rigid, youd better have top-of-the-line fire extinguishers (NB the plural) available to you. That seems wasteful. If you want it smoother/shinier, you can polish up to 600 grit, with wet-or-dry paper. What I forgot to mention in all of this is a detail that seems mundane, but it critically important: Wear cotton gloves. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 13 in 1 Metal Shell Welding Torch Nozzle Tip Cleaner For Welder Soldering at the best online prices at eBay! Heres instructions from Mark Lee Supplies on using their Express Blue #1. An iron wire, stainless dipper, and part basket are required to handle the guns components and adjust the bluing solution as well. The practice of bluing steel takes time and an exquisite eye for detail. "publisher": { For modern uses of black oxide, see, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "How To Remove Rust From A Gun Without Damaging Bluing? This method was adopted by larger firearm companies for large scale, more economical bluing. Drop a piece of hot charcoal in it and it will burn in the absence of any atmosphere as the nitrate provides the oxygen for the reaction. All those materials the leather and bone the coal where sources of carbon and other trace elements. Another good test for determining when the steel is ready is seeing if a magnet sticks to its surface. Alternatively, you can press the pad of steel wool between your hands over the container of acetone, and then put it on some paper towels to dry. Dont. Never know when it will come in handy. Salts. Ive learned a LOT. : Make sure it is made from Mild Steel or Titanium. Contemporary heat-treatable steels did not exist or were in their infancy. The differential cooling causes patterns of colors to appear as well as hardening the part. This will keep the bluing from adhering to the sharpened edge. Use your torch to bring up If the sights need to be stripped & blued, follow the same procedure, but dont polish on them. Bluing may be applied by immersing steel parts in a solution of potassium nitrate, sodium hydroxide, and water heated to the boiling point, 275310F (135154C) depending on the recipe. These work by depositing a coating of copper selenide on the surface. All blued parts still require oiling to prevent rust. You want 0000 steel wool for carding between coats. "@type": "ImageObject", You turn up your nose at crap guns? Dont scrub the solution onto the gun, just run a patch that is not dripping wet down one complete run on the barrel/action in one smooth stroke. Share it with us! I wasnt planning on doing it for a few months. There can be different layers you have to apply. What did you use for polishing your pieces and Im guessing you polished then added the chemicals after?Thanks, Joe, Question Reply Todos los derechos reservados. I'm a professional knifemaker and use many very high-temp methods including quenching 1,600F steel in pre-heated oil - I know what I'm talking about, 'cause I still have 10 fingers and my eyesight. Heat the area you'd like to drill just until it starts to glow red, then allow it to cool slowly. Remember the oil is probably gonna release some smoke/fumes once the piece is quenched so as said before: please do this step in a well ventilated area. It is hazardous. I hope to someday have good knowledge to pass on to people, heh. Make sure to check every nook and cranny of the components so that you can find any discoloration or blemishes. Very true. Ferrari installs valve seats in their aluminum cylinder heads via robot. Brownells has steel tanks, and there are some steel/stainless long/thin tanks available from other sources. The melting point for KNO3 is 633F. Even with safety glasses and a full-face shield, a rubber apron, rubber boots, etc it is possible to get salts into your eyes and all over the rest of you. This article was very, "I've been working with steel since I was a child, and reviewing these proper methods and skills makes my projects, "It surely educated me on several points. Theyll usually go in from the right, and be drifted out from the left (ie, drifting them from left to the right as the muzzle is pointed away from you). For most of the time, guns that utilize carbon steel components are the prime candidates for bluing but its totally possible to color stainless steel blue as well. Hardened steel prevents knife blades from dulling and tools from bending and breaking. Free shipping. Knowledge is the power and fear is the opposite of power it cripples the mind and the body and almost always guarantee's a poor decision will be made. 2 years ago, For the record The gentleman said multiple times that the plastic container shown in the pictures was just for the instructional photos and to be sure that the container is made of metal for this process, (Homer Simpson smacking his forehead: "DOH! Submerge in water and scrape edge. So As one newish to refined firearms ownership, what is the best way to store and protect a pistol or rifle from rusting, especially in areas like Oregon or Washington, Silicon socks, or ? You can also heat the oil to create different effects. That means 50-60 revolutions to make a foot. Put all the components into the tank and wait for 5 15 minutes. Reply Metal Finishing Guru. "name": "Shooting Mystery", LOGIX 20910 Butane Torch, Cooking Torch, Torch for Creme Brulee, Refillable, 9.6 oz, Blue Steel . If you tempered the steel with a blow torch, set the metal on an anvil or another large steel surface to conduct the heat. He started the site to explore the ethics, morality, business, politics, culture, technology, practice, strategy, dangers and fun of guns. That doesnt happen easily or by accident. You want to be in the range of 600 to 650F. The steel will pull some of the carbon out of the oil while quenching and harden the outer portion of the metal. Wipe them down with WD-40 on a regular basis. Keep posting like this. "url": "https://shootingmystery.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/How-to-Blue-Stainless-Steel-in-5-Easy-Steps.jpg" It had been thoroughly degreased before my first attempt, but in trying to repair a poor result, I apparently contaminated it a bit.

What Happened To Spatz And Tracy On Y103, Best Hotels Near Los Angeles Cruise Port, Articles B